Apparatus for ordering tobacco



(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1.

s. P. MAYO 8v G. A; PEPLE. APPARATUS FOR ORDERING TOBACCO. No. 478,801. Patented July 12, 1892.

To mnn wAsumovun o c (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. P. MAYO 8v G. A. PEPLE.

APPARATUS FOR ORDERING TOBACCO.

NO. 478,801. Patented July 12,1892.

6 'M/024415070 ww a $513 qrfozncr rrs- STATES ATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL P. MAYO, OF RICHMOND, AND GUSTAVUS A. PEPLE, OF MANCHESTER, ASSIGNORS TO THE MAYO TOBACCO DRYING AND ORDERING COMPANY,

OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR ORDERING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,801, dated July 12, 1892.

Application filed August 28, 1890.

Serial No. 363,317. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAMUEL P. MAYO, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico, and GUSTAVUS A. PEPLE, of Manchester, in the county of Chesterfield, State of Virginia,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Ordering Tobacco; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description [0 of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to a new apparatus for ordering tobacco. Heretofore ordering has been done by forcing a continuous blast of air charged with steam through an ordering-box and back into a vapor-room by a fan after having first drawn the moistened air by suction from the vapor-room into the fan, the

vapor-room consisting, simply, of a closed box into which steam is admitted by means of a steam-pipe. The objections to this process are obvious. The only source of moisture is the steam and the inoistening must necessarily be done at a very high temperature, because after a certain amount of steam has been condensed any more steam which may be admitted will only be partially condensed, owing to the fact that the air in the circuit has been heated almost to the temperature of live steam. This ordering tobacco at such a high temperature is extremely injurious to the leaf and is seriously objected to by the trade. There is no provision made for con 3 5 trolling the temperature, and the admission of new heat cannot be avoided without cutting off the supply of moisture. In fact the process referred to is nothing but a modification of the very objectionable process of steaming.

The object of our invention is to supply the tobacco with a blast of air which has been moistened at a low temperature-that is, the temperature of an ordinary summer day and, further, to distribute that blast in such a manner that it will be equally divided over all parts of the ordering-room of whatever size, so that large quantities of tobacco may be uniformly ordered. Tobacco ordered at this temperature does not lose any of its moisture in cooling, as must necessarily be the case when it is ordered at a high temperature.

To this end the air is forced by means of a blow-fan directly through two successive moistening-channels, where it is charged with moisture during its passage to the orderingroom, where it is distributed by means of suitable pipes. For the purpose of securing a perfect circulation the air is sucked from the ordering-room by .means of a separate exhaust-fan and then wasted, because the air which has passed over the tobacco has become charged with unpleasant odors and impurities which renderit unfit to be used over again.

In-the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ordering-room, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan View. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. A is, an enlarged view of the moistening-channels. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the moistening-chan- 7o nels, and Fig. 6 is a detailed view.

A represents the ordering room. This is a closed room made of any shape or size'to suit the purposes. In this the tobacco is suspended on rods, wires, or other devices, so that its surface is exposed tothe air as it circulates through the room.

Pipe No. 1 for conducting the air into the ordering-room is branched at point 2, after which it enters the ordering-room on both sides. Inside of this room these branches of the air-pipes are provided each with a series of vertical pipes 3 3, which have openings 4 4 4 therein, through which the air is discharged into the room, shutters or valves 5 5 being provided for opening or closing and varying the size of the openings to regulate the quantity of moist air discharged at diiferent points into the room, accordingly as required to' act best upon the contained tobacco. The pipes 6 6 6, leading centrally through the top ofthe room, are suction-pipes, through which the air is removed by means of a separate exhaust-fan and wasted.

B represents a fan and is constructed so as 5 to force the air into the ordering-room. The two moistening-channels C C are placed at some convenient place in the circuit, so that the air will pass through them and become thoroughly charged with moisture during its passage from the fan to the ordering-room. These moistening-channels are of peculiar construction, and, as they comprise an essential feature of the invention, deserve special attention. They consist of two square channels, as shown in the drawings. A short pipe leads from the fan into the top of the first channel, and the top of the second channel is connected by means of a similar pipe with the supply-pipe. The two channels are connected at the bottom by means of a circular pipe, as shown in the drawings. Thus the whole forms a continuous passage from the fan to the supply-pipe. Inside of each channel a number of endless cloths or aprons 1O are hung. These are stretched over rods 11 11, of wood or metal, and over the rounded plates or hoods 12 12, spaces beingleft between them for the circulation and passage of air through the channels.

A number of perforated water-pipes 13 13 are located in each channel, and these lead beneath the plates or hoods 12 12.. These pipes are supplied from a main lat, and the quantity of water discharged is regulated by the valves 15 15. By this means the aprons or cloths are kept constantly saturated with cold water, and in case there should be at any time a surplus of such water draining down from the aprons a water-trap 16 is provided in the circular pipe which connects the two channels for the collection and the removal of the surplus water.

Between the fan and the first moisteningchannel is placed a small heater 20 of any suitable construction. This is used for the purpose of raising the temperature of the blast, so as to increase its capacity for absorbing moisture from the wet clothes or aprons. After the moisture has been absorbed the air is reduced to its normal temperature. We may also accomplish this by means of a small steampipe 17, which is placed in pipe 18, leading from the fan and provided with a suitable nozzle to flare the steam directly over the top of the first channel.

The steam coming in contact with the cool wet cloth is instantly condensed, and the temperature of the air is raised by the heat which is thus liberated.

The casings of the channels may be made of wood, galvanized iron, or any suitable material and are provided with suitable doors for the purpose of adjusting the cloth,repairing, cleaning, &c.

In the operation of ordering the blast of air is blown through the heater, where its temperature is raised, then down through the first channel and up through the second, where it is thoroughly charged with moisture and cooled to its normal degree, thence through the supply-pipes to the ordering-room, Where it is thoroughly circulated and distributed, and thence through the suction-pipes to the exhaust-fan, from which it is wasted.

The amount of moisture may be regulated by increasing or diminishing the water-sup p y, by means of the heater or by means of the steam-pipe in case that method is preferred.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, and hence we do not wish to limit ourselves to the exact construction herein set forth, but re serve the right to make such slight alterations as may be best suited to the localities in which the machines are used.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a fan and moistening-channels, of an ordering-room, an airsupply pipe leading from the moistening-channels, pipes leading from this air-supply pipe and located in the room, said pipes having discharge-openings therein, means for regulating the amount of discharge, and pipe or pipes for withdrawing the air from the ordering-room, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a fanv and ordering-room, of successive channels with endless cloths of any material in said channels, sprinkling-pipes leading inside of the cloths and having valves to regulate the discharge, and a heater for discharging heat into the channels, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAML. P. MAYO. GUSTAVUS A. PEPLE.

WVitnesses:

CHAS. IIINDLEY, MAT. MORTON.

and the temperature may be regulated ICO 

